ABC launches First Nations Talent Portal to promote Indigenous media representation

The ABC has introduced an Indigenous Talent Pool to increase First Nations voices and representation across digital, radio and television.

Acting as a continuation of this year’s reconciliation theme of ‘More than a word, reconciliation takes action’, the talent pool will help Indigenous voices and industry professionals to be part of Australia’s media and entertainment sector.

The talent pool will also allow ABC creatives to identify and incorporate First Nations voices when working on content projects, promoting Indigenous personalities as guests, producers, reporters, actors, hosts and backfill for visual and broadcast purposes.

The portal will collect applicant information and store data in a secure, centralised ABC database, which all ABC content teams will then be able to access.

ABC indigenous researcher Ebony Havnen told Radio Today that the portal would be open to both on-air and off-air talent, including those with radio and broadcast experience.

“The First Nations Talent portal is open to all kinds of on-air and behind-the-scenes talent, including radio talent,” Havnen said.

“The ABC is opening its doors and making space for First Nations talent to be part of mainstream media. We want to hear from actors, presenters, musicians, accountants, lawyers, doctors, community spokespeople, peak body representatives, researchers, botanists, the list goes on. You name it, we’re interested in hearing from them.”

Havnen also told Radio Today that the ABC is aiming to attract talent from both regional and metropolitan areas using the portal, ensuring that diverse First Nations voices are appropriately represented across its channels.

“Our database is pan-ABC, so all our creative teams can access the talent that comes through the portal,” Havnen added.

“We’re really hoping now that we’ve launched the portal, that we get a strong response from First Nations talent from all around Australia.”

Find out more about the ABC First Nations Talent Portal .